Canopy.



W. H. S HOUGH & M. T. DOBBINS.

CANOPY.

7 APPLICATION FlLED NOV. 19, 1913. 1,173,881. Patented Feb. 29,1916.

\ 3 SHEETS-SHEET l- W. H. SHOUGH & M. T. DOBBINS.

CANOPY.

APPLICATION FILED 11ov.19. 1913.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES 9W THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 00., WASHINGTON. D. C.

W. H. SHOUGH & M. T. DOBBINS.

CANOPY.

APPLICATION FILED u0v.19,1913.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

a SHEETSSHEET 3.

WITNESSES:

lb 06mm, find-o THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPI! co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

omens STATES Parana" FFlE WILLIAM H. SHOUGH AND MICHAEL T. DOBBINS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

CANOPY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Application filed November 19, 1913. Serial No. 801,817.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that we, VVILLIAM H. SHOUGH and MICHAEL T. DOBBINS, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Buffalo, county of Erie, and State of New York have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Canopies, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. 7

Our invention relates generally to canopies or collapsible coverings for vehicles, and more particularly to canopies for automobiles.

The principal object of our invention has been to provide a canopy which may be easily and quickly raised or lowered from one point by one person with the least possible expenditure of manual labor.

Another object has been to provide a canopy in which the oblique bow braces, usually extending across the entrance to the seats of the vehicle shall be dispensed with, thus leaving a free and unobstructed entrance and exit to and from the seats of the vehicle to which our canopy is applied.

Furthermore, we have sought to provide a canopy which shall be very rigid when in its extended position, so that the customary straps extending from the front of the canopy to some part of the vehicle will be unnecessary.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicatelike parts throughout the several views, of which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of our invention as applied to a four-bow canopy, showing it partially collapsed by dotted lines. Fig. 2 shows the same collapsed and in its folded position. Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of the partially rotatable joint between the brace members at the rear vertical bow. Fig. a is a side elevation of the detachable pivotal connection of the front bow-t0 the body of the vehicle. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of detachable connection, shown partly in section. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of our invention applied to a five-bow canopy, showing it partially collapsed by dotted lines. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same in its folded position. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of our invention applied to a three-bow canopy, showing it partially collapsed by dotted lines. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the same in its folded position. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevation of a canopy embodying our invention and shows a modified form of the main bow brace. 7

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, 8 represents the body of the vehicle to which our canopy is attached, and 9 and 10 the usual rear and forward vertical bows, respectively, of the canopy frame which are ivotally connected to the bearing brackets 11 and 12 respectively, carried by the body 8. 15 is the rear oblique bow of the canopy frame and 16 the front bow thereof. The bearing bracket 12 (see Fig. 4) is provided with a radial slot 13, through which the flattened pivot pin 14, carried at the lower end of the brace 10, is arranged to pass when the said brace 10 has moved to the angular position shown by the dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4, thus permitting the bow to be detached from the bracket.

In the modified form of detachable connection shown in Fig. 5, 70 is the bearing bracket having an open U-shaped member at its upper end comprising a stationary leg 71 and a pivotal leg 72, secured at its lower end to the bracket by the pivot pin 73. The pivotal leg 72 is kept in its normal position, as shown by suitable spring means 74. 75 is the lower part of the forward bow of the canopy, which is provided with an end 76 arranged to fit in between the legs 71 and 72 of the U-shaped member. This end is provided with a spring pressed latch 77, which engages an aperture 78 provided in the stationary leg 71 of the U-shaped memher when moved to its normal position. When the bow 75 is swung rearwardly the pivotal leg 72 will yield and move with the bow until the position indicated by the dotted lines (Fig. 5) is reached, where the latch 77 will be disengaged from the aperture 78 and the bow may then be detached, whereupon the pivotal leg will be moved back to the normal position by the spring means 74. When the bow is to be attached, the end 76 is moved down into the U-shaped member .ancl the latch 77 will be depressed until it is opposite the aperture 78, where it will be spring pressed therein, thus securely locking the bow in place. The bows of the canopy frame are connected together by means of the horizontal braces 17 and 18, each comprising members 19 and 20 and 21 and 22, respectively. The members 19 and 22 are preferably of one piece of material and are'pivotallv united to the forward vertical bow 10 at 23. The brace 17 is provided with a knee-joint 24 which breaks downwardly. and the brace 18 is also provided with a knee-joint 25 which breaks upwardly. The member 20 of the forward horizontal brace 17 has rigidly attached at its outer end, the front bow 16 of the canopy The rear end of the member 21' of.

frame. the horizontal brace 18 is pivotally connected to the verticalbow 9 by the pivot pin 31 in the customary manner. 26 is the main brace of our device which comprises mem- 21 and 27 is provided with a circularly-' shaped end 32, said ends beingpivoted together and tothe bow by the pivot pin 31.

Preferably, the end 32 of the member 27- is provided with a circularly-shaped slot 33, which is arranged concentric with the pivot pin. The end of the member 21 carries a fixed pin or lug 34 engaging with the slot and arranged to move back and forth therein as the members are relatively rotated. Thus, it will be seen, that the lug 34 forms a stop when moved to either end of the slot, and'thus maintains a fixed predetermined angle of the members 21 and 27 (shown in full lines in Fig. 3) and also permits the members being folded out straight when the canopy is in its folded position (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3). An auxiliary horizontal brace 35 is also provided and comprises members 36 and 37, united'in the knee-joint 38 which breaks downwardly. This brace is pivotally connected at its inner end to the forward bow 10 and is also pivotally connected at its other end to the front bow 16.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, where our invention is shown applied to a five-bow canopy frame, 39 represents the middle bow, 40 the rear oblique bow, 41 and 42 the vertical bows and 43 the front bow, the last four bows mentioned being similar to those just described in connection with the other form of our device. The bows 39, 41 and 42 are connected together by horizontal braces 44 and 45. The brace 44 comprises members 46 and 47 pivotally united in the knee-joint The brace 45 comprises members 49 and, 50,

pivotally united in the knee-joint 51 arranged to break upwardly. The members 47' and 49 are preferably'of'one'piece of material which is pivoted to the central bow 53 is the front horizontal brace and comprises members 54 and 55, which are pivotally united in the knee-joint 56 arranged to break downwardly; The members 54 and 50 are also preferably of one piece of material which is pivotally united to theforward vertical bow 42 at 57. The member 55 of the front horizontal brace 53 carries at its outer end the front bow 43. 58 is an auxiliary horizontal brace which comprises members 59 and 60 united in a knee-joint 61 and arranged to break down-'; wardly. The forward end of the member 60 1 of this brace rigidly carries the'middle bow 39. the rear end of the member 59 is pivotally united to the vertical bow 41; 62 is the main brace which comprises members 63 and 64, being unitedin the knee-joint 65, which is arranged to break upwardly, and the 'lower end of the member 63 is pivotally united to the bearing bracket 66 carried by the body of the vehicle. The upper end of the member 64 and the rear end of the member 46 of the brace '44 are pivotally connected together in the partially rotatable joint used in the other form of device and shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings," and are also pivotally secured to the vertical bow 41 at 31. An auxiliary horizontal brace 79 connects the front bow 43 with the forward vertical bow 42, and comprises two members 8O and 81 connected together in a knee-joint 82, arranged to break downwardly. I

Referring now to Fig. 8, where our invention is shown applied to a three-bow canopy frame, 83 is the vertical bow, pivotally united at its lower end to the bearing bracket 84, carried by the body of the vehicle. 85

is the front bowand 86 therear oblique bow.

The vertical bow 83 and the front bow 85 are connected together by means of a horizontal brace 87 and an auxiliary horizontal brace 88. The brace 87 comprises members 89 and V 90, pivotally united'in a knee-joint 91;- arranged to break downwardly. The member 89 is secured at its outer end to the front bow 85 and the inner end of the member '90 is pivotally united to the vertical bow 83 by means of the pivotpin31. The auxiliary horizontal brace 88fcomprises members 92 and 93 which are pivotally united-together by means of the knee-joint 94,arranged to break downwardly. 95 is the main brace which comprises members 96 and'97 pivotally united together in the knee-j oint '98, arranged to break upwardly. This main brace is connected at its upper end to the vertical bow 83 by meansof the pivot pin 31,- and'a't'its lower end it is pivotally connected to the body of the vehicle by means of the bearing bracket 99. The upper end of the member 97 and the inner end of the member 90 of the braces 95 and'87, respectively, are pivotally connected together by means of a partially rotatable joint such as described in connection with the other forms of the invention and shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

In Fig. 10, I show a modified form of a main brace. In this brace the members 67 and 68 are curved instead of being straight, as in the other forms. WVith this form of brace, the member68 is rigid or forms an integral part of the rear end of the horizontal brace 69, thus eliminating the partially rotatable joint used in the other forms above described.

While we have shown and described only.

one set of braces, it will be obvious that there is a complete set of braces at each side of the canopy.

When it is desired to fold or collapse the canopy shown in Fig. 1, it is only necessary for the operator to break the main brace 26 downwardly. This will move the member 21 1 of the brace 18 upwardly, and also the members 19 and 36 of the braces 17 and 35 respectively, downwardly. This motion will also move the upper end of the forward bow 10 rearwardly until it occupies a position substantially like that shown by dotted lines in the drawings, whereupon it will be disengaged from its pivotal connection and carried rearwardly as the canopy frame continues to collapse. When the frame is nearly in its collapsed position, the partially rotatable joint will permit the members 21 and 27 to straighten out and lay in substantially a straight line, thus making the collapsed frame more compact. When the frame is open, it is only necessary to straighten out the main brace 26 after the flattened pin 14, carried by the forward bow, has been guided into the slot 13 of the bracket 12. When using the form of bracket shown in Fig. 5, the canopy frame is moved to its extended position, after which the forward vertical bow may be engaged with the U shaped bearing bracket 70.

WVhen folding the form of canopy shown in Fig. 6, the main brace 62 is moved to break the joint upwardly, and after the bow 41 has moved a short distance, the joints 48 and 61 of the braces 44 and 58 respectively, will break downwardly; the joint 51 of the brace 45 will break upwardly and the joint 56 of the brace 53 will break downwardly, as clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6.

\Vhen folding the form of canopy shown in Fig. 8, the main brace 95 is moved to break the joint upwardly, and after the bow 83 has moved a short distance, the joints 91 and 94 of the braces 87' and 88 respectively, will break downwardly, as clearly shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 8.

It will be seen that our device, when collapsed, is very compact and occupies but little space, and when extended, after the joints are set, a firm and rigid canopy is provided without the use of guy-straps or oblique braces extending upwardly from the vertical bows, as is customary.

Obviously, some modifications of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope of the appended claims, and we do not wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is: v

l. A canopy for vehicles comprising rear and forward, vertical bows, horizontal braces pivotally connecting said rear and forward bows, a front bow rigidly attached to the forward end of the forward. horizontal brace, the rear end of said forward, horizontal brace being rigidly connected to the for? ward end of the next rearward, horizontal brace, an oblique main brace united at its upper end to the rear end of the rearward, horizontal brace and pivotally connecting said rear bow with the body of the vehicle,

and means for automatically disengaging said forward bow from the body of the vehicle, when the bow isswung to a predetermined position.

2. A canopy for vehicles comprising rear and forward vertical bows, a forward horizontal brace pivotally connected with said forward bow, a front bow rigidly attached to the forward end of said horizontal brace, an intermediate horizontal brace pivotally connecting said forward and rear bows, said forward and intermediate braces being rigidly connected together and each provided with knee joints arranged to break in oppo site directions, and an oblique main brace pivotally connecting said rear bow with the body of the vehicle,'said oblique brace being connected with said intermediate brace by means of a partially rotatable oint and provided with a knee joint arranged to break in an opposite direction to that of said intermediate brace, whereby all parts of the canopy, when folded, will clash.

3. A canopy for vehicles comprising rear and forward, vertical bows, a forward horizontal brace pivotally connected with said forward bow, a front bow rigidly attached to the forward end of said forward, horizontal brace, brackets secured to said body, said forward bow being pivotally mounted in said brackets, means for automatically disengaging said bow from said brackets when swung to a predetermined position, an intermediate horizontal brace pivotally connecting said forward and rear bows, the rear end of said forward, horizontal brace being rigidly connected to the forward end of said intermediate horizontal brace, and an oblique, mainbrace unitedat its upper. end to the'rear end of the rearward, horizontal brace and pivotally connecting said main bow with the body of the vehicle.

4. A canopy for vehicles comprising rear and forward vertical bows,.a forward horizontal brace pivotally connected with said forward bow, a front bow rigidly attached to the forward end of said forward horizontal brace, brackets secured to said body, said forward bow being pivotally mounted in said brackets, means for automatically dis engaging said bow from said brackets when swung to a predetermined position, an intermediate brace pivotally connecting said forward and rear'bows, said front and intermediate braces being rigidly connected together and each provided with a knee joint arranged to break in opposite directions, and an oblique main brace pivotally connecting said rear bow with the body of the vehicle,

fsaid oblique brace being connected with said intermediate brace by means of a partially rotatable joint and provided with a knee joint arranged to break in a direction opposite to that of said intermediate brace, whereby all parts of the canopy, when folded, will clash. V

intermediate brace at the pivotal connection of said braces to said bow, whereby all parts of the canopy, when folded, will clash.

6. A canopy for vehicles comprising rear and forward vertical bows, horizontal braces pivotally connecting said rear and forward bows, an auxiliary, horizontal brace'pivotally connected with said forward how, a front bow entirely supported by the ends of the forward, horizontal brace and said auxiliary brace, said forward'and auxiliary braces each being provided with knee joints arranged to break in the same direction, and

an oblique main brace pivotally connecting said rear bow with the body, of the vehicle.

7. A canopy for vehicles comprising rear and forward vertical bows, horizontal braces.

pivotally connecting said rear and forward bows, an auxiliary brace pivotally connected with said forward bow, a front bow rigidly attached to the ends of the forward horizontal" brace and said auxiliary brace, each of said horizontal braces being rigidly connected to the adjacent horizontal brace and each being provided with a knee joint arranged to break in-opposite directions, said auxiliary brace being provided with a knee joint arranged to break in the same direction as the forward horizontal brace, and an oblique mam brace pivotally connecting said rear bow with the body of the vehicle, said oblique brace being connected with the rear horizontal brace by means of a partially rotatable joint and provided with a knee joint arranged to break in a direction opposite to that of the rear intermediate brace, whereby all of the parts of the canopy, when folded,

will clash.

8. A canopyfor vehicles comprising a rear vertical bow, a forward vertical bow provided at its lower end with a springpressed latch, a bracket for said forward bow secured to the bodyof the vehicle and having a stationary leg provided with an aperture engageable with said spring-pressed latch and a spring-pressed pivotally mounted leg, horizontal braces pivotally connecting said forward and rear bows, a front bow. rigidly attached to the forward end of the:

forward horizontal brace, and an oblique main brace pivotally connecting said-vertical bow with the body of the vehicle, said horizontal brace being connected to said oblique main brace by means of a partially rotatable joint, whereby when the joint of the oblique brace is broken, the joints of the horizontal braces will break and said forward bow be disengaged from its bracket.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. SHOUGH. MICHAEL T. DOBBINS.

WALTER H. KELLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for'five cents each, by'addressing the Gommissioner'of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

